Meat-stacker.



E. M. STILES.

MEAT STACKEH.

APPLICATION F1151) sEPT.12,1912.

19281 959,1 Patented July 3, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. IVI. STILES.

MEAT STACKER.

APPucATloN FILED SEPT.

. Patented July 3, 1917.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Afa/E VVVVVVVVVYVYVR lvvyvvwy E. M. STILES.

MEAT STACKER.

APPLIcATloN FILED sEPT.12.1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented July 3 0/ 55g M f LLM.

EDWARD M. STILES, 0F MOUNT PLEASANT, IOWA, ASSIGrN'OIla TO U'. S.SLICING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, `ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0FILLINOIS.

MEAT-STACKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 19117.

Application filed September 12, 1912. Serial No. 719,955.

To all 'whom t may concern.' y

Be it known that I, EDWARD M. STILns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mount Pleasant, in the county of Henry and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Meat- Stackers, ofwhich the following is a speciication. l This invention relates toimprovements in meat stackers for stacking slices of meat as they aredelivered by the meat Slicer and is more particularly adapted, thoughnot necessarily limited 1n its'use, in connection with any of the wellknown types of meat Slicers wherein the slices are cut from a block ofmeat and the meat is adjusted transversely of the cutting plane of theknife, af-

ter each cut.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved meatstacker of thls class having means for collecting and stackling theslices as they are out, thereby, ob-

viating the necessity of gathering by hand and stacking the slices,which' as they are cut have heretofore fallen into a collecting box orreceiver. l

A further object is to provide an im proved machine of this class,having means for holding the slices in such a manner that fromthe timethey are cut until they are stacked they will not be distorted `norstretched.

A further object is to provide an im' proved machine of this classhaving a collector support upon which the slices are stacked and4 meanswhereby the support will beautomatically adjusted as the slices arestacked thereon, and as the size of the stack increases, so that thereceiving face of the stack will be always maintained in substantiallythe same position.

A. further object is to provide an improved machine of this class whichwill be simple, durable and comparatively cheap in construction andeffective and efficient in operation. j

To the attainment -of these ends and the accomplishment of other new anduseful objects as will appear, the invention consists -in the featuresof novelty in substantially the construction, combination andarrangement ofthe several parts hereinafter more fullyv described andclaimed, and

ig. 2 is a front elevation of the construction shown in Fig. l and asviewed .from the left of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Figs. l andy 2.

Fig. 1 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on the line 1 -4,Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the fly or member fortransferring the slices from the receiver to the. collector table orsupport.

Fig. is a detail sectional view on line Fig. 7 is a detail sectionalview on line 7-7 Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional View on line 8-8, Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a view partly in section showing another detail.

The ordinary type of meat cutter, and to which this present invention isparticularly adapted, is provided with a sidewise movable carriage onwhich the block of meat is,

secured and which carriage may be advanced backwardly and forwardly, orrelatively with respect to a suitable knife or cutter, so as to bringthe face of the block of meat consecutively into contact with the cutterandthus sever the slices of meat from the block. Suitable mechanism isprovided for advancing the carriage and its block of meat the desiredamount toward the knife or cutter during each stroke so as to alwayssever the slice of meat from the block which slice will be of the properthickness. Suitable mechanism is also provided for advancing thecarriage back and forth, for advancing the carriage toward the knife orcutter and for rotating the knife or cutter if that should be desired.

In the present embodiment of this invention, there is provided acollector support adjacent the meat cutter, adapted to receive ltheslices of meat as they are severed. A receiver of suitable constructionand prefcollector support after each slice of meat has been placedthereon, a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the slicelast severed. `In"this"'way the. receiving face of the stack will alwaysbe maintained at substantially the same point.

Referring now to the drawings, the platform of the meat holder isdesignated generally by the reference numeral 10 and is provided withthe usual uprights 11, pref erably one or both of which may be pivotedto the platform as at 12, and is provided.

with a cross-bar 13, which latter may be Y forced down against the topof the block of meat to clamp the same firmly to the carriage. Means arealso provided for moving the carriage backwardly and forwardly behindthe cutter 14, which latter is preferably in the form of a disk andpreferably rotates during the cutting' stroke so as to better sever theslice of meatl from the piece. In the particular constructionillustrated a hand wheel 15 serves as a source of power for imparting arelative movement to the carriage and disk. However, such constructionsare well known in the art and inasmuch as they form no part of thepresent invention, further specific description thereof is notnecessary.

Each time the carriage is returned to its normal position, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3, it is advanced forwardly, a predetermined distance sothat the piece of meat will protrude out into the line of the cuttingdisk, and thus insure the severing of a given thickness of meat on'thenext stroke. In the particular construction illustrated, this advancingmechanism embodies a feed screw 16, which engages a grooved finger orprojection 17 and which screw is rotated by any suitable mechanism aslight amount as the carriage is returned to its initial position, thedegree of rotation of this screw being regulated by suitable controllingmechanism 18,d which is also well known in theart and are onlyillustrated and described inthe present application for the purpose ofshowing the relation with which Y this improved meat stacker bears 'to awell known form of meat cutter.

The meat stacker comprises a collector mamas support 19 which ispreferably arranged so as to be adjusted upwardly and downwardly and isplaced adjacent the meat cutter, and

receiving and carrying the individual slices of meat away from thecutting disk as they are severed.

The receiver or carrier in the present form of the invention comprisesspaced upright shafts 20, 21, arranged parallel with each other andmounted in suitable bearings in a suitably supported frame 22. Theshafts 20 and 21 are arranged at an incline to the vertical, that is,they are tilted vbackwardly at their upper extremities toward thecarriage and in a direction away from the cutter 14. The su port orframe 22 for these shafts is pre erably arranged to extendoutwardly'beyond the front face of the cutter 14 and in a directiontransverse to the plane of rotation of the cutter. The receiver orcarrier is in the form of endless belts 23, having spaced teeth orspikes 24 projecting from the outer face thereof. Any'- number of theseendless belts 23, may be provided and are constructed of any suitableflexible material. shaft 21 and secured thereto forl rotation therewith,is a pulley 25 which is provided with a series of spaced peripheralgrooves spaced longitudinally of the shaft and into which the belts 23run, one groove being provided for each of the belts. Mounted looselyupon the other shaft 2O are a series of pulleys 26 which are of adiameter less than the diameter of the pulley 25 and one of thesepulleys 26 is provided foreach of the belts 23, as shown more clearly inFigs. 7 and 8. The pulleys 26 are spaced longitudinally of the shaft 20and arranged intermediate each pair of pulleys 26 is a sleeve or collar27 and 'these sleeves or collars are secured to the shaft 20 so as torotate therewith in any desired orsuitable manner such as by means of afastening key or feather 28. The sleeves or collars 27 are also providedwith spaced radially projecting prongs or teeth 29 and these prongs orteeth 29 are of a length slightly greater than the prongs or teeth 24 onthe belts 23, for the purposes to be hereinafter set forth. With thisconstruction it will be manifest that when the shaft 2O is rot'ated thesleeves or collars 27 and the prongs or teeth 29 will be rotatedtherewith, while the pulleys 26ver which the belts 23 pass will have arotary movement with respect to the shaft 20.

Motionis imparted to one of the shafts, preferably the shaft 20, in anysuitable manner from the main shaft of the machine, or the shaft towhich the hand wheel Arranged on the' mareas l5l is connected. I This isaccomplished by l means of a suitable shaft 30 which i's geared to themain shaft 31 in any suitable manner and is provided with a gear 32 (SeeFigs. 1 and 2) which latter meshes with a gear 33 on another shaft 34mounted in suitable bearings 35 and this shaft 34 has in turn a gear 36which meshes with a gear 37 on shaft 20. Secured also to the shaft 20for rotation therewith and preferably at the upper extremity of theshaft, is a pulley 38 over which a drive belt 39 passes and this belt 39also passes over another pulley 40 which is secured to the shaft 21 sothat the motion imparted to the shaft 20 will be conveyed to the shaft21. It will be manifest'thattheshaft 2O is directly driven from the mainshaft of the machine and when rotated the shaft 20 will rotate thesleeves or collars 27 and also the pulley 38. As the pulley 38 isrotated, its motion will be imparted to the pulley 40 through the mediumof the belt 39.- The being secured to the shaft 21, and the pulley 25,being also secured to the shaft 21, the latter will be rotated by theshaft 21 and the rotation, of this pulley 25 will impart motion to thebelts 23, and as the belts -are driven the pulleys 26 will rotate freelyabout the shaft 20. With this arrangement it will be manifest that thebelts and the sleeves or ,collars 27 are not only rotated in the samedirection, but it is possible to impart a diierent speed of rotationbetween the sleeves or collars 27 and the belts 23. The shaft 20 islocated in close proximity to the cutter 14 and inasmuch as the prongs29 are of a greater length than the prongs 24, the slice just as it iscutwill be picked up by the prongs 29 and will be carried around to thefront of the receiver or conveyer. The prongs 29 hold the slice awayfrom contact with the prongs24 while the slice is being carried aroundthe shaft 20. ln this way distortion of the slice is prevented since theprongs 29 maintain a fixed position relative to one another and do notshift their relative position as do the prongs 24. Unless means wereprovided to prevent the slices from becoming stretched or distorted asthey pass around the rollers 23,

they could not be stacked evenly nor would a uniform stack result. ln -order to compensate for the increased speed of the points of the prongs29 due to the length of the prongs and to hold the slices from bucklingwhere they are transferred from these prongs to the prongs 24 adifferential speed is given to th sleeves or collars 27 carrying theprongs 29 and the belts 23 carrying the prongs 24. The drivingmechanisms and pulleys are so arranged that ,the surface speed of thebelts carrying the prongs 24,-'- is slightly greater than the surfacespeed pulley 40,

of the sleeves or collars 27 carrying the 4prongs 29. This variation ordifference in the sleeves or collars are traveling about 12 inches. Theprongs on the sleeves or collars will pick up the slice rst and just asthe slice is passing over the pulleys, the prongs on the belts willvalso pick up the slice and traveling at a little greater rate of -speedthan the sleeves or collars, it will hold the slic'ein proper position.At the same time the severed portion of the slice will be carried awayfrom the cutter and thereby prevent such severed portion from adheringto the cutter. j

A guide 41 (see particularly Figs. 4 and 7 is provided adjacent theshaft 20,A over which one run of the belts pass so as to permit theprongs 29 to become disengaged from the slice as the slice is carriedaway from vthe cutter by the cutter and beneath which the slice as it issevered passes.

The receiver thus constructed constitutes a conveyer as hereinspecifically described, but the specific construction thereof, per ce,constitutes the subject matter of a` separate application which is adivision of the present application. This receiver or conveyer isarranged adjacent the collector support A19 as shown more clearly inFigs. 2 and 3, and the .normal position of the collector support 19 isjust beneath the lowermost belt and the collector support is arran ed'in front of the receiver or carrier so t at the latter will inclineaway from the support.

p In order ,to deposit the slices on to the collector support19 so as,to stack 4them thereon, means must be provided for removing the slicefrom th'e belts or receiver and for disengaging them from the prongs 24.Any suitable means may be provided for this purpose but a simple andefficient means which has been found efficient in practice compriseswhat will hereinafter be designated a fly indicated generally by thereference numeral 43. This fly comprises a body portion having a seriesof spaced fingers 44 and issecured or mounted upon "a shaft 45 whichlatter is journaled in suitable bearings 46 aranged preferably at thelower edge of the receiver or carrier. The ngers 44 are spaced from eachother as are also the belts 23, so that one finger will stand in thespace between each pair of belts as is shown more clearly in Figs. 3, 4and 7, and theflngers are of such a length that they belts and. thereby-prevent injury to the slice. A shield 42 is normal position.

will terminate short ofthe shaft 20 and also short of the guide41.v Whenthe Hngers are in position between the belts, their -outer faces will bebelow the extremities of the prongs 24611 the belts, (see particularlyFig. 6) so as topermit the slice to be carried by the receiver orcarrier over the faces of the fingers. When the slices have reached theproper-position on the receiver, with respect to the collector support19, the Hy is dumped or shifted so that it will remove or lift the slicefrom the belts and will deposit them on the collector support 19.

Any suitable means may be provided for dumping the Hy, but a suitableand eiiicient means comprises an arm 47 which is preferably carried bythe reciprocating meat carrier. This arm carries a dog 48 pivotallyconnected thereto and is controlled Vby the spring 49. The dog is whatmight be termed a one way dog, that is, when the carriage moves in onedirection ,it will en age an arm 50 on the shaft 45 and will yie d so asto pass the arm without rocking the shaft 45. This, in the present formof the invention, occurs during the forward movement of the carriage orwhile the slice`is being cut. When the carriage returns to its normalposition, the dog 48 will engage the arm 50 on the shaft 45 and rock thelatter in itsbearings.l This will dump the Hy 43 so that the slice willbe removed from the receiver and deposited onto the collector support.

The dumping movement of the Hy is in opposition to the stress of anelastic member 51 which is anchored at one end to a iXed support and isconnected at its other end to a projection 52 on the shaft so that afterthe Hy has been dumped and the dog 48 has moved out of engagement withthe arm 50 on the return movement of the carriage, the elastic member51' will return the Hy to its It is obvious thatl unless means areprovided for adjusting the collector support 19 as the slices arestacked thereon, a suitable distance after each slice of meat has beendeposited thereon, eventually the stack of slices would become so largethat the movement of the Hy would be interfered with, and the sliceswould not be properly stacked. To overcome this difficulty, thecollector support 19 is of such a construction that it may beautomatically adjusted and is also. preferably so arranged that thisautomatic adjustment will be effected by the movement of the Hy, thatis, each time a slice is deposited by the Hy, the movement of the Hy orpressure against the support through the slice will effect thisadjustment. In order' to accomplish this, the support 19 is carriedby anumber of uprights 53 movable in suitable guides, preferably by passingthroughiholes or openings in the base 54 of the machine, and nuts orcollars 55 are provided on' the uprights to limit the upward movement ofthe support. These uprights are of any desired or suitable length, butpreferably of a length that the normal position ofthe collector support19 will beV adjacent to the bottom of the receiver or carrier, andelastic members 56 preferably in the form of coiled springs surround thev f uprights and tend normally to move the support 19 to its normalposition.

It is obvious that it would be possible to so proportion the springs orelastic members 56 that the collector support 19 would automatically ornaturally retain its adjusted position by the deposit of a slice hereonand each time it is lowered by the action of the Hy in depositing theIslice. However, in

order to insure that the support will maintain its lowered position, orthe position toV lock thel support against return movement' under thestress of the springs 50. In order to permit the support to return toits normal position a tri in means referably in the form (if a rodlgshft60 having a handle 61 secured thereto. and located in a convenientposition for the operator, is provided sothat the pawl 58 may be liftedout of engagement with the teeth'of the rack and when thus released thesupport 19 will be moved by the springs back to its normal position.

Obviously, the springs 56 must be of sufiicient strength to prevent thecollector support 19 from dropping of its own weight in connection withthe weight ofthe slices and it must also be of a strength that it willonly 4 move a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the slicebeing deposited thereon,- while at the same time it should not be ofsuch a strength that it would not vbe adjusted by the Hy.

It will be manifest that with this construction the slices will beuniformly stacked and at the same time the Hy will operate as a pressernotonly to move the collector support 19, but also to serve as a meansfor packing the slices as they are stacked.

. Obviously, the support or frame 22 may lio `struction is herein shown,it is to be understood that many changes may be made in the details ofconstruction and arrangement of the several parts, Within the scope ofthe claims, and without departing from the spirit of the invention,

The term fly as used in the specification and claims in this case is tobe considered in its broadest interpretation, that is, to mean anymechanism for lifting or dumping or even conveying the slices from thereceiver or carrier and depositing them upon the collector support.

It is also to be understood that While the present exemplication'of thisinvention is shown, described and claimed, in connection With a meatslicing machine, the invention is Well adapted for use with machinesrfor slicing other articles, With equal efliciency, and therefore, theterms meat Slicer and meat slices as employed in the specification andclaims are not to be considered as Words of limitations.

What is claimed as new is 1. In combination, a Slicer, a belt conveyerfor receiving slices from said' slicer, and means for preventingdistortion of said slices as said conveyer changes its direction oftravel.

2. In combination, a slicer, a belt conveyer having spikes thereon forreceiving slices from said Slicer, and means for holding said vslicesout of contact with said spikes at points Where said conveyer changesits direction of travel.

3. In combination, a Slicer, a belt conveyer having spikes thereon fortransferring slices fromisaid slicer in a plane at an angle thereto, andmeans separate from said conveyer for changing the plane of said slicesfrom that in which they are delivered from said Slicer to that in Whichthey are transferred by said conveyer.

4. In combination With a slicer, a movable device having spikes thereoninv fixed relation with one another for receiving slices fromvsaidslicer, and a conveyer arranged at an angle to said slicer for receivingslices Y from said movable device.

5. In combination, afslicer, a spiked roller for receiving slices fromsaid slicer, and a spiked conveyer for receiving said slices from saidroller.

6. In combination, a Slicer, a spiked roller from said slicer, aconveyer belt having spikes thereon for receiving slices from saidmovable member, and means for driving said conveyer belt and movablemember at different rates of speed.

8. In combination, a slicer, a roller having fixed spikes thereon forreceiving slices from said slicer, a conveyer belt passing around theaxis of said roller and having spikes thereon of less length than thespikes on said roller and arranged to receive the slices from saidroller, and means for driving said roller at a greater rate of Speedthan said conveyer belt.

9. In combination, a slicing knife, a movable carriage for presenting-material to said slicing knife, a spiked roller for contacting vvithsaid material to receive the slices as they are formed by said slicingknife, and a belt conveyer for receiving the slices from said roller. Y

10. In combination, a slicing knife, a movable carriage for presentingmaterial to said slicing knife, a spiked roller for contacting With'said material to receive the slices `as they are formed by said slicingknife and to carry said slices into a plane at an angle to vsaid slicingknife, and a belt conveyer for receiving the slices from said roller.

11. In combination, a slicing knife, a movable carriage for presentingmaterial lto said slicing knife, a spiked roller for contacting withsaid material to receive the`slices as theyv are formed by said slicingknife, a conveyer belt passing around the axis of'said roller` andhaving spikes thereon of less length than the spikes on said roller forreceiving the slicesfrorn said roller, a guide for directing theconveyer belt away from said roller, and means for .driving said rollerand conveyer belt at different rates of speed.

12. The combination of a slicer, a receiver for receiving the slicesfrom the slicer, said receiver embodying coperating movable elements,and means for moving one of said elements at a greater rate of speedthan the other.

13. The combination of a Slicer, a toothed carrier for receiving a slicefrom said Slicer, a toothed element coperating With the carrier, andmeans for simultaneously moving said carrier and element at differentrates of speed. p

14. The combination of a Slicer, a toothed carrier for receivinga slicefrom said Slicer, a toothed element coperating with said carrier fortransferring the slice from the slicer tothe carrier, and a collectorsupport upon which the slices are deposited from the carrier.

15. The `combination of a Slicer, a toothed carrier, a rotatable toothedelementlcoperating with the carrier OI receivlng the slices from theSlicer, a support, and means for delivering the slices from the carrierto the support, said carrier and the axis of rotation of the saidelement being inclined to the vertical.

l 16. The combination of a slicer, a toothed carrier, a rotatabletoothed element coperating with the carrier, both operating to receivethe slices from the slicer, and a shield coperating with thek carrierand the said element at the point where both engage the slice.

17. rlhe combination of a cutter, a toothed carrier for receiving aslice from the cutter, a toothed element cooperating with the carrier,said carrier and element being arranged to engage the severed portion ofthe slice while the slice is being cut, said element coming into contactwith said slice in advance of said carrier.

18. The combination of a cutter, a toothed carrier for receiving a slicefrom the cutter,

e embodying means coperating with the first recited means for holdingthe slices against distortion, and means for imparting motion to thereceiver.

20. The combination of a cutter, a toothed carrier for receiving a slicefrom said cutter, a toothed element coperating with the carrier, saidcarrier and element being operable at different rates of speed, thesevered portion of the slice being engaged by said element and carriersimultaneously w-hile the slice is being transferred from said elementto said carrier.

21. The combination of a slicing knife, a belt conveyer having teeththereon for transferring slices away from said knife, means adjacentsaid knife for changing the direction of travel of said conveyer, andmeans for preventing distortion of the slices by movement of the teeth'on said conveyer relative to one another during the change in directionof travel of said conveyer.

in said conveyer out of contact with the teeth of said conveyer toprevent distortion of said slices by relative movement of said teeth.

23. In combination, a slicing knife, a belt conveyer having teeththereon for transferring slices away from said knife, means adjacentsaid knife for changing the travel of said conveyer into a directionaway from said knife, and a movable element having teeth thereonextending beyondthe yteeth of 4said conveyer and located at the turn inthe direction of travel of said conveyer.

24. In combination, a slicing knife, a conveyer belt having teeththereon for transferring slices away from said knife, a guide roller forsaid belt adjacent said knife for directing the travel of said belt awayfrom said knife, an independently movable element located at the turn inthedirection of travel o-f said belt and having teeth .thereon arrangedto extend beyond the teeth of said conveyer to hold the slices out ofcontact with said conveyer teeth while said slicesK are passing aroundsaid turn.

25. In combination, a slicing knife,a conveyer belt having teeth thereonfor transferring slices away from said knife, a` guide roller for saidbelt adjacent said knife for directing the travel of said belt away fromsaid knife, an independently movable element located at the turn in thedirection of travel of said belt and having teeth thereon arranged toextend beyond the teeth of said conveyer to hold the slices out ofcontact with said conveyer teeth while Said slices are passing aroundsaid turn, and means for directing said conveyer away from said guideroller to cause said conveyer teeth to receive said slices from theteeth of said movable element.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification,y inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this. ninth day ofSeptember A. D. 1912.

A EDWARD M.' STILES.

Witnesses:

F. S. FINLEY, Y ANNA CLARK.

